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Published February 12th, 2014
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Orinda's Quality of Life Continues to Receive High Marks
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| By Laurie Snyder |
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| Images provided |
Life is great in Orinda. That was the judgment of 400 Orindans who participated in a poll in late January to gauge residents' level of satisfaction with everything from policing to pothole repairs. These and other findings are available in "Orinda Voter Support for Financing Infrastructure Improvements: Key Findings from a Citywide Voter Survey," an analysis of the results by Fairbank, Maslin, Maulin, Metz & Associates which was presented by staff to the Orinda City Council at its meeting Feb. 4.
Ninety-eight percent of those surveyed described community life as excellent or good. Orindans also still love their library with 95 percent indicating they approve of the facility and its programs. Eighty-nine percent also approve of the police and Parks and Recreation departments. However, only 78 percent, 62 percent and 46 percent were happy, respectively, with the Moraga-Orinda Fire District, Orinda City Council and Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. An eye popping 35 percent of those polled, however, said they either did not know enough about the performance of county supervisors to answer the question, or defined the work of their county governing body as "not applicable."
Respondents did make clear that their community's roads continue to be of concern with 70 percent saying they would support "The City of Orinda Road Repair and Safety Improvement Measure" to "repair failing roads and storm drains, fix potholes, and improve traffic safety" if it appears on a future ballot. Twenty-four percent were firmly opposed while 38 percent would definitely vote for the bond with another 33 percent stating they would likely support or were leaning in favor of the measure.
Respondents also appear to believe that if Orinda is to truly get its act together where infrastructure is concerned, more skin needs to be put into the game by residents and their government. Seventy-five percent of those who said they would support a $20 million bond measure indicated that a $10 million bond would also be an acceptable alternative bond amount in contrast to the 43 percent who said they might get behind an even higher bond - $40 million. Regarding potential projects to be undertaken, respondents want the worst streets fixed and believe storm drains and water pipes should be repaired at the same time roads are repaved. Seventy-seven percent agreed the repairs would enhance public safety while 71 percent felt the improvements would also protect property values.
Conversely, when asked how much they would be willing to pony up to repair roads and drains, only 26 percent were in favor of employing a real estate transfer tax to help raise the $52 million still needed to fix Orinda's crumbling infrastructure - even if it enabled the city to repeal the recently enacted half-cent sales tax increase. And only 43 percent said they were personally willing to pay $60 dollars per $100,000 of assessed value on their homes annually for the next 20 years - even if that assessment was based on what the homeowner paid for his or her residence rather than its current market value. Seventy-one percent would be willing to consider payments of $15 per $100,000 of assessed value each year.
According to David Metz and Curtis Below, the polling consultants who completed the analysis for the city, "A $20 million bond measure to fund the second phase of Orinda's program of road and storm drain repairs appears feasible." The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 4.9 percent.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA